Women Tag

Commemorated on 12th June each year, the World Day against Child Labour is recognised by governments, the International Labour Organization and civil society to bring attention to the global issue of child labour, and the urgent action required to eliminate it.

Every child has a fundamental human right to education, nutritious food and health. All these rights are violated when a child is forced to work. The situation is further exacerbated when the tasks that he or she is entrusted with affect his or her health. This is the case for instance when children carry excessive weights or work in confined spaces, smoky conditions or with chemicals without any protective material.

Despite decades of governmental and corporate commitments, child labour remains widespread. This is due to the fact that child labour is a symptom: it cannot be eradicated without a systemic tackling of the root causes like, for example, poverty.

On International Women’s Day 2018, FarmStrong Foundation is celebrating and supporting women in farming communities across the world. The 8th March 2018 is a day to honour the struggle for women’s rights and celebrate the economic, political, social and cultural achievements of women throughout history.

At FarmStrong Foundation, we believe women’s economic empowerment is pivotal to achieving sustainable farming systems. Yet despite the crucial role of women in smallholder agriculture, their contributions are often unrewarded and unrecognized. For many women in smallholder agricultural communities, balancing traditional gender duties – such as household tasks and child care – with their agricultural production can be a very complex challenge. Societal expectations and cultural norms about gender roles on and off farms affect family income, food production and women’s participation in decision making.